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BELOW  THE  DAM 


Tfigl)  Skoals 


<i> 


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FROM  THE  BRIDGE.  LOOKING  UP  THE  RIVER 


(Bastott  Count?.  M.  <L 


1908 

OBSERVER     PRINTING      HOUSE 
CHARLOTTE.       NORTH       CAROLINA 


HIGH   SHOALS 


GASTON  COUNTY,  N.  C. 


A  Southern  Cotton  Mill  Town 


Published  and  Copyright  by 

OBSERVER  PRINTING  HOUSE,  Inc.,  CHARLOTTE,  N.  C. 

All   Rights  Reserved 


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THE  COTTON  COMES  FROM  THE  NEARBY  FARM  TO  THE  MILL 

ESTLING  down  among  the  stately  pines,  oaks,  and 
hickories  of  North  Carolina,  in  the  heart  of  the  Pied- 
mont Region,  lies  the  cotton  mill  town  of  High  Shoals. 
At  an  altitude  of  a  thousand  feet,  with  its  ever-cool 
mornings  and  evenings,  its  golden  sunshine  at  all  seasons, 
its  pure  mountain  air,  added  to  the  cleanliness  of  the 
town  itself,  High  Shoals  may  be  called  a  natural  health  resort,  and  an 
appropriate  location  for  a  working  population  to  live. 

The  village  is  about  thirty  miles  from  Charlotte,  on  the  Carolina  and 
North  -Western  Railway.  The  town  is  situated  on  the  banks  of  the 
picturesque  South  Fork  of  the  Catawba  River,  whose  waters,  as  they  rush 
over  dam  and  foaming  shoals,  from  which  the  name  High  Shoals  is  derived, 
resemble  the  roar  of  the  ocean,  and  at  night  lull  one  to  peaceful  slumber. 


OST  of  the  working  pop- 
ulation of  High  Shoals 
are  carolers,  spinners,  and 
weavers.  The  manufacture  of  cot- 
ton cloth  requires  fhe  work  of 
other  trades,  but  almost  all  are 
comprised  in  the  above  enumera- 
tion. The  cloths  made  are  plain 
white  sheetings,  of  about  the  weight 
and  quality  of  ordinary  bed  sheets. 


STREET  SCENE-EVENING 


HILE  High  Shoals  is 
essentially  a  mill  town,  it 
is  an  ideal  one.  The  ac- 
companying pictures  show  two  of 
its  streets,  well  kept  and  free  from 
rubbish  as  they  always  are,  with 
the  simple  but  well-built  houses 
on  either  side — the  comfortable 
homes  of  the  mill  employees. 


PI 


MORNING  STREET  SCENE 


A  COTTAGE  HOME  AT  HIGH  SHOALS 


LMOST  every  yard  has 
its  sweet  blooming  mass  of 
shrubs  and  flowers,  while 
luxuriant  vines  of  the  lovely  old 
fashioned  roses  or  sweet  smelling 
honeysuckle  cover  the  piazzas. 
Here  on  a  summer  afternoon  the 
babies  may  play  safe  from  the 
heat  of  the  sun,  while  their  mothers 
sit  contented  at  their  sewing. 
The  people  take  great  pride  in 
their  gardens,  and  the  competition 
among  them  is  keen. 


SPRINGTIME-1N  THE  PARK 


S  an  extra  incentive,  five 
prizes  are  given  annually 
for  the  best  gardens,  as 
follows:  1,  for  flowers,  $10.00; 
2,  for  flowers,  $5.00;  I,  for  vege- 
table garden,  $10.00;  2,  for  vege- 
table garden,  $5.00;  and  for  best 
kept  general  premises,  $  1 0.00. 
These  prizes  have  been  given  for 
the  past  six  years.  A  committee 
chosen  by  the  residents  awards 
these,  after  carefully  inspecting 
each  garden. 


COMFORT  IN  THE  SHADE  OF  THE  FLOWERS 


■  to  • ., 


■ 

■  ■■**.*■* 


ANOTHER  HIGH  SHOALS  COTTAGE  HOME 


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THE  MILL  AND  FALLS  BELOW  THE  DAM 


METHODIST  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 


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BAPTIST  CHURCH  AND  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 


BARACA  CLASS-BAPTIST  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 


GIRLS'  CLASS- BAPTIST  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 


BAPTISMAL  SCENE-THE  BENEDICTION 


ITUATED  at  the  end  of  the  long  village  street  on  which 
the  others  stand,  is  the  Baptist  Church,  with  a  large  and 
active  congregation.  The  regular  services  are  twice  a  month, 

with  extra  services   frequently.     The    Sunday  School,    large    and 

still  growing,  is  held  every  Sunday. 


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HE  children  of  the  Episcopal  Church  take  a  great  interest 
in  the  already  large  Sunday  School,  which  is  growing 
rapidly.  Those  of  the  Sunday  School  who  have  unusually 

good  voices  are  trained  by  the  Deaconesses,  and  a  very  pretty  choir 

of  sweet  little  children  sing  during  church  services. 


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BAPTIZING  A  YOUNG  LADY 


NE  of  the  large  congregations  in  High  Shoals  is  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  Church.  Services  are  held  regularly  twice 
a  month,  the  pastor  having  several  other  churches  else- 
where of  which  he  takes  charge.  The  Methodist  Sunday  School  is 
large  and  flourishing. 


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N  THE  above  picture,  showing  the  baptism  of  a  young  lady, 
the  man  on  the  right  at  the  top  of  the  steps  will  lead  the 
new  convert  to  the   Baptist  faith  out  of  the  water,  and  the 

one  on  the  left  holds  a  cloak  to  throw  over  her  as  she  goes  to  the 

tent  dressing-room  near  by. 


'W  /  N  THE  village  there  are  two 
V,  M^  splendid  schools — one 
-%=. — I  the  regular  public  school,  and 
the  other  the  Parochial  School 
of  the  Episcopal  Church.  The 
Public  Graded  School  is  always 
well  filled,  and  is  taught  by  a 
competent  force  of  teachers.  The 
building  is  a  modern  wooden  struc- 
ture, with  large,  light  rooms.  It  has 
a  seating  capacity  of  about  200 
pupils.  The  course  is  the  same  as 
may  be  found  in  any  graded  public 
school  of  high  standing. 


GIRLS'  SENIOR  CLASS  IN  THE  PUBLIC  SCHOOL 


I^-w"\|IHE  Episcopal  School 
\«^  and  Kindergarten, 
■■fr*s  I  which  are  under  the 
supervision  of  the  Church,  are 
taught  by  the  Deaconesses 
Eva  and  Mary.  These  gen- 
tle Deaconesses  divide  their 
work — one  teaches,  the  other 
nurses  the  sick  of  the  village. 
And  both  are  loved  by  every- 
body for  the  good  they  do. 


THE  KINDERCARTNERS 


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THE  FRESHET 


THE    HIGH  SHOALS  BAND 


FOURTH  OF  JULY  PICNICKERS 


JOYOUS  celebration  of  the  Fourth  of  July  is  always  had  at 
High  Shoals.  In  the  old  days  before  the  Revolutionary  War, 
the  rifle  makers  of  the  Piedmont  went  to  the  Shoals  to  gel 
the  fine  iron  which 
they  used  for  their 
rifle  barrels.  In  those 
old  days,  there  was 
one  of  the  best  iron 
works  in  America  at 
High  Shoals.  The 
rifles  made  from 
High  Shoals  iron 
were  an  important 
factor,  on  the  Ken- 
tucky frontier  against 
hostile  Indians,  and 
at  Cowpens,  King  s 
Mountain,  and  other 


AN  IDLE  HOUR  BY  THK  PAVILION  IN  THL  PARK 


battlefields  against  the  British  forces,  during  the  War  of  the 
Revolution.  From  the  hills  about  High  Shoals,  one  may  obtain 
a  distant  glimpse  of  King's  Mountain,  where  the  historic  battle 
was    fought. 


N  THE  last  "Fourth,"  there  were  addresses,  picnic  dinners, 
more  addresses,   and     multitudinous    games.      Perhaps  the 
most  interesting  was  what  was  called  the   "Egg  Race,      with  eight 

young  lady  entries. 
Each  one  was  re- 
quired to  hold  a  tea- 
spoon by  the  han- 
dle, bowl  up.  An 
egg  was  placed  in 
each  spoon.  They 
ran,  at  the  word 
"Go,"  from  one 
end  of  the  river 
bridge  to  the  other. 
When  an  egg  was 
dropped,  that  girl 
was  out  of  the 
race.  Only  two  or 
three  got  to  the  goal  end  of  the  bridge  wilh  their  eggs  still 
safe  in  the  spoon.  Many  other  sports  were  indulged  in — in- 
ning, jumping,  etc.  —  prizes  being  awarded  to  the  winners  of 
the  different  events. 


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UNTING  is  excellent  in  the    surrounding    country.       The 
boys  hunt  rabbits  in  the  daytime,   and  opossums  by  night. 
The    best    hunting    is  for  quail,   and  this  particular  hunting  is  very 
excellent.     There     are 
foxes,  not  much  hunt- 
ed,     and      some     few 
golden  -  winged 
pheasants.      The    boys 
catch    many    turtles   in 
the  river,  so  that    real 
turtle    soup   is    no    un- 
common   thing    at  the 
Shoals. 


[pJJIGH  Shoals  is 
■M-y-l-l  in  a  mineral 
country.  Near  the 
place  is  a  sulphur 
spring,  an  arsenic 
spring,    and  a   1  i  t  h  1  a 


N  THE  smaller  streams  in  the  country  about  High  Shoals 
are    a    number     of     old-fashioned     waterpower     gristmills. 
From    these  the  Shoals  people  get  supplies  of  real    old-fashioned, 

water-ground  cornmeal 
and  hommy,  and  whole 
wheat.  A  little  higher 
up  the  mountains,  the 
real  water-ground 
buckwheat  flour  can  be 
had,  and  also  maple 
syrup.  The  cream 
and  the  butter  are  the 
real  homemade   article. 


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IGH  Shoals 
was  settled, 
about  1 760,  by  John 
Fullenwider.  He  built 
an  iron  works,  having 
a    number    of    Catlan 


HUNTERS  AND  THEIR  BIG  GAME-THE  BOYS  HAVE  KILLED  A  CRANE 

forges,     several    trip  hammers,    and    a    number  of     trains    of    rolls 


spring.  The  hthia  spring  is  owned  by  the  Lincoln  Lithia  Country 
Club,  but  is  available  to  visitors  from  High  Shoals  if  accompanied 
by  a  member  of  the  Club. 


to  make  round,  flat,   and  square  bars.     These   works    were  of  great 
service  to    the   patriots  during  the  Revolutionary  War. 


IS[ 

EAR   High   Shoals    is    the  Lincoln    Lithia    Country    Club. 
Visitors  can   reach  the  Club  via  the  Carolina  and   North- 

l^jTpMJHE  Club   has  nearly  three  hundred 
j  ((EMS  i     of   which  is  laid  off  in  building  lots 

acres  of   land,  a  portion 
Many  of  the  owners 

N 

Veste 

n     Railway    (leaving  the  train    at    High   Shoals,    and  going 

of    these    contemplate     erecting     cottages     on     their     property. 

thence  to    the  Club 

Bowling     alleys, 

in   a  surry),   or  via 

■H 

golf     links,    good 

the    Seaboard    Air 

I  n 

11 

livery,  and  excellent 

Line    Railway, 

1  1 

■Jl 

quail  shooting 

getting    off      at 

1      ■    II 

|  jB  .1 

constitute   some    of 

Lincolnlon  Station, 
and  again  via  surry 

Jf       1 

1 

iki*^-^*. 

the     principal 
attractions. 

to  the  Club. 

^^^w               i  '  ff^flHB^. 

.M1j/J          A^m  -      ^ 

There  is   a    good 

The  membership 

system    of    water 

of  the  Club  is  near 

I^l^l       ^r^Vn    S    ^k Jn 

works,  and  the  club 

200,   and    is    com- 

house   is  equipped 

posed    almost     en- 

[w9 

■/    If l^^^t 

with  all   modern 

tirely  of  ladies   and 

**il^^  I 

convenience  s 

gentlemen  from 

throughout.      The 

various  southern 

^^HHMMm 

Club  keeps  a  herd 

cities  and  localities. 

\T  THE  LINCOLN  LITHIA  COUNTRY  CLU 

B 

of  cattle  on  its  own 

The   location  of  the  Club,  being   on    the  foothills  of  the  moun- 

pastures,   from   which  its   milk  and   butter  supply  comes. 

tains,  and  possessing  an  ideal  climate,  makes  it  an  all-the-year-round 

There   is  a    "Sulphur  Mine  *    (iron  pyrites)  within   a  couple  of 

resort  for  health  and   recreation. 

miles  of  the  town,  and  the  Sulphur  Branch  comes  from  this  mine. 

HIGH  SHOALS  IN  1750 


T 


HE  above  cut  shows  the  High  Shoals   waterpower  as  it  appeared  in   I  750,  when  the  surrounding  country   was  largely  inhabited 
by  Indians,  and  the  white  population  was  very  scant. 


4L±*£im**», 


HIGH  SHOALS  IN   1800 


u 


ERE  is  shown  ihe  waterpower  as  it  appeared  in  1800.  Inside  the  fifty  years  preceding,  there  had  been  developed  in  the  neighborhood 
a  very  considerable  manufacturing  interest.  Amongst  other  industries,  there  were  numerous  blast  furnaces,  making  charcoal  pig  iron.  At 
High  Shoals  there  was  an  extensive  iron  works,  making  bars,  nails,  plowshares,  and  other  products  in  wrought  iron.  The  waterpower 
operated  the  rolling  mills.  This  was  before  the  institution  of  slavery  became  of  dominant  influence  in  the  South.  These  iron  works  and  most  of 
the  other  industries  were  operated  by  intelligent  free  white  labor,   which  was  then  abundant. 


. 


, 


& -  *^  m*hBB9KPEEL 


W 


HIGH  SHOALS  IN   1 850 


i  HE.  appearance  of  this  High  Shoals  iron  works  in    1850  is  represented  in  the  above  picture.      As  the  influence  of  slavery  grew, 
*v   I  the    manufacturing    interests    of    the    Piedmont    region  not  only  made  no    progress,  but  actually  retrograded.      The  illustration 
shows  the  wreck  of  the  former  prosperous  iron  works  at  a  time  when  agriculture  and  slave   labor  had   become  dominant. 


HIGH  SHOALS  IN  1900 


N  THE  early  part  of  the  preceding  half-century,  slavery  was  abolished,  and  after  the  restoration  of  civil  order  and  good  government 
there  was  immediately  a  revival  of  the  manufacturing  interest.  The  illustration  shows  a  new  development  of  the  waterpower,  and  a 
cotton  mill  which  has  been  constructed  over  the  site  of  the  old  iron  works.  As  in  the  first  fifty  years  of  the  nineteenth  century  the 
adverse  influence  of  slavery  is  made  apparent,  so  in  the  last  fifty  years  of  the  same  century  the  wholesome  influence  of  free  institutions  is  equally 
illustrated  by  the  new  development  at  High  Shoals. 


«* 


